Commentary by Raymond Lutz:
It seems that here is confirmation that Blackwater wanted the Potrero
site for paramilitary border security after all. See the press release
below...

I translated the Spanish press release using http://Babelfish.altavista.com...
so it will not be perfect. I fixed up most of the bad spots. The
original is below that. If you have some corrections, let me know.

This is apparently the deal Blackwater needs as they pull out of Iraq...
$1.4 billion gift from Bush.

The "War on Drugs" may be used as the substitute for the "War on
Terror". Yet another "idea" to fight. I invite you to view the history of
the war on drugs, an initiative that has been very unproductive, and may
even be counterproductive. See "Drug Wars" the PBS Frontline special for
a very good review of the unsuccessful nature of this farce. It is a
very good program:

Declaration of Ambassador Antonio O. Garza Embassy of the United States

Garza: "President Bush proposes the project more aggressive than ever to fight to the Mexican cartels of drugs, and the violence that directs to our citizens."

The Efforts Of Mexico To improve The Security Deserve All Our Support

Mexico, D.F., 22 of October of 2007 - "This morning President Bush spoke
with President Calderón to communicate to him that this advancing to the
Congress of the United States a budget of 500 million dollars like part
of a program of 1.400 million dollars to support the cooperation with
Mexico in security subjects. Some minutes ago, President Bush made this
intention public. The president also asked for 50 million dollars to
such face dangers of the drug trafficking in Central America. This
initiative, result of the meetings between Presidents Bush and Calderón
in Mérida, represent a tendiente change fundamental to reinforce our
strategic alliance, in addition it is the project more aggressive than
ever to fight to the Mexican cartels of drugs and the violence that
direct the citizens of our two countries.

"the geographic, economic and demographic bonds that we have with Mexico
and the region emphasize the importance that has for our national
interest in security the power to reduce the threats of the crime and
the violence that are hung over our societies. This new frame will allow
to create a hemisphere and more surely free of danger, in which the
criminal organizations no longer can threaten the regional security nor
our populations. Also it will avoid the entrance and distribution of
illegal drugs, like the threats of the international terrorism, by all
the region.

"During my four years and means like ambassador of the United States, I
have seen how the violence caused by the drug trafficking has been
scattered quickly in Mexico, which has become a consuming country
simultaneously that funge like primary springboard for the illicit drugs
that enter the United States. Organized criminals have assassinated
blatantly to police and stops Mexican civil employees, and thousands of
civilians have been affected by the crossfire. The last year 2.000
murders related to drugs happened more than; and this year already they
have been reported more than 2.000 to date. This challenge affects us to
us of equally dramatic way, since countless thousands have died or
ruined their lives due to the corrosive impact of the drugs that the
Mexican cartels smuggle to the United States.

"Nevertheless, also I have seen as Mexico has become a partner
fundamental in our own efforts to fight to the drug trafficking, to go
ahead to the terrorism, and to face other transborder threats. Ever
since it took possession from his position in last December, President
Calderón has taken a brave position against the transnational criminals
who at the moment threaten Mexico, and the disposition of its government
to work on a par with the United States represents an historical
opportunity to solidify the place of Mexico like our exact, prosperous
and democratic partner in North America. The government of President
Calderón has demonstrated a commitment without precedents to improve the
public security, has sent aggressive antidrug operations in ten states,
has increased to the payment of the military and agents of the law at
federal level, besides to make an effort to cause that these
institutions are more transparent and effective. On the other hand, in
spite of the offensive of Mexico against the narcoviolence, this one has
been spilled to states that had not been affected traditionally, and has
received a tribute in the increase in murders of high civil employees of
the law.

"In spite of the risks that entail, Mexico has reinforced the
cooperation in power of attorney of justice with us, and has extradited
to the United States for its judgment to 73 of the worse criminals,
including a the leader of the Cartel of the Gulf; _ have seize amount
each time greater of drug and money bad have, and have take the
leadership to create a strategy regional with the purpose of improve the
interception transnational. The significant efforts of Mexico, and the
important joint work that already we are developing must be applauded.
Nevertheless, still lack to do more, and this one is the moment to do it.

"the most important measurement than we can take is to ally itself with
President Calderón in the fight of its government against this
increasing violence. Besides to explore additional ways to improve our
economic bows, to reduce the regional poverty, and to improve the border
security, also we must redouble our efforts to reduce the demand of
drugs in the United States, and to improve our controls on the
precursory arms, money in cash, and chemistries that are introduced to
contraband Mexico. The National Office of Drug Control of the White
House recently announced that the intense offensive against the drug
trafficking and its resulting violence, on the part of the government of
Mexico in coordination with the United States, has been in a substantial
diminution in the availability of the cocaine, with its consequent
increase in the prices, the E.U. This illustrates clearly that yes the
cooperative efforts between our two countries are working.

"the Mexicans understand what is in game, and give account that the
security is so high-priority for them as is it for us. The Mexico of
today represents a new democratic system in which the different powers
from the government, the main political parties, and members of the
Mexican civil society have been united to support what it has become an
extraordinary campaign against the violence and the barbarism. The
Mexicans are not deceived before the severity of the problem that faces,
thus an important majority supports the campaign of President Calderón
against the organized crime.

"This initiative has the aim to improve La Paz and the security of all
our towns by means of a greater cooperation. It will give to Mexico and
to Central America additional access to tools, training and techniques
him that will allow them to initiate a new time in which it concerns the
organized crime and the transnational threats. Although their goals are
similar, this initiative is clearly different from previous regional
efforts in their operation. This program is an authentic society in
which each country assumes its part of the shared responsibilities and
the reciprocal efforts to fight the dealers who provide drugs in Mexico,
like to the demand in the United States, with each country carrying out
additional, more aggressive actions and coordinated, in its respective
territories.

"President Bush has taken the first passage when asking for funds
directed specifically to the cooperation in the field of the security
with Mexico and Central America. Now the Congress of E.U. will have to
act to make reality this crucial proposal of security. We have the
opportunity and the responsibility to unite to us with our neighbors,
and to demonstrate that we are pawned decisively on disarticulating to
the cartels of the drugs, to break the flow of narcotics and its
resulting money that so dangerous are for our shared border, and in
releasing to our respective societies of the violence caused by drugs."

More information on the announcement of President Bush:

This initiative would support coordinated strategies:

Produce a hemisphere more safe and secure in which the criminal organizations no longer are destabilizing governments and threatening the national and regional security; and

Stop the illicit drug entrance and distribution transnational and threats in the region and to the United States.

In order to obtain these goals, President Bush is asking for funds to
manage:

At the moment to improve the programs in operation in the agencies of security of our allies for the monitoring of its territories, and for the fast answer of the forces of security in the operations against the narcotics traffickers when allowing them greater mobility

Equipment and insumos to support the security agencies that are ours contrapartes in the inspection and interception of drugs, dealt goods, and contrabands of people and other articles

computacional Technology that fortifies the coordination of the forces of security of the diverse countries, and its exchange of information with the United States

Technologies that improve the capacity of our partners to successfully obtain intelligence information that allows them to take actions from justice power of attorney

Qualification that supports the commitment that Mexico and Central America must to rationalize and to professionalize their organizations of justice power of attorney

Measured to increase to the capacity and training to complement actions taken by governments of the region with the purpose of reforming judicial processes, responding to the preoccupations of the citizenship, and to reinforce the administration of the prisons

Support for ONGs and Mexican agencies that toil to reduce the increasing drug use in Mexico

Programs of equipment, training and communitarian action in Central American countries with the purpose of implementing measures against the gangs, and extending the reach of these measures in the region.

Support of the Presidents to the Regional Strategy:

"the United States is it jeopardize to support this strategy common to
solve an equally joint problem. It would not be jeopardizing to me to
this if it were not convinced that President Calderón has the will and
desire to protect his town of the narcotics traffickers. It has
demonstrated to great leadership and force of character, which gives
great confidence me in which the plan that we develop will be effective
", President George W. Bush, 21 of August of 2007, Montebello

"the drug trafficking and the violence associated to the drug
trafficking, that appears particularly in the border between the United
States and Mexico, cannot be faced of isolated way... It requires of a
multiplicity of actions that they have to occur in the societies and the
governments. From the same combat to the action of the criminals to the
preventive work, the work of protection, attention to the addictions,
prevention and treatment of addictions between young people and
adolescents ". President Felipe Calderón, 21 of August of 2007, Montebello

"Our countries are working jointly to fight the transnational gangs. And
the President (Berger) is right: I suggested we thought about this
subject of regional way. It is necessary to understand that these gangs
can be moved by all Central America, be crossed to Mexico and be entered
our own country, thus is that we must think regionally, and act
regionally ", President Bush, 12 of March of 2007, City of Guatemala

Reduction of the Demand of Drugs:

The United States has done more than any other industrialized nation to
reduce the illegal drug consumption between their population. With an
ample range of efforts, he has been successful in almost reducing the
cocaine consumption between the people of 18 to 25 years in 60% from the
historical maximum of 1979, and the drug consumption among young people
has been reduced in 23.3% since President Bush announced his National
Strategy for the Drug Control in 2002. The budget that
presented/displayed the president for fiscal year 2008 destines 4,6
billion dollars for a set of initiatives of prevention and treatment.

The National Strategy Antinarcotic of the Southwestern Border:

The federal agencies of the United States throughout the southwestern
border are coordinating their efforts to implement 68 objectives under
this new strategy in the following areas: harvesting of intelligence,
exchange of information, seizure in the ports of entrance and the areas
between the ports, aerial monitoring and interception of airplanes of
contraband, investigations and legal processing, and fights against the
financial crimes. Esteem that the United States is spending 1,9 billion
dollars to implement this strategy. The 2 of October of 2007, John
Walters, director of the Office of National Policy for the Control of
Drugs it declared that this strategy will be an effective answer against
the violent organizations of narcotics traffickers whom they look for to
undermine the democracy and the state of right.

Reduction in Traffic of Arms:

In 2005, the Office of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms sent its initiative
of the southwestern border to attack the infrastructure of the criminal
organizations who deal arms by the border. New programs to share the
capacity of tracking with the Mexican agencies help to close the
contraband runners, they expand the interchange of intelligence in real
time, and aggressively they look for to process the people in charge,
which has been in an increase from seizures and arrests from individuals
that they look for to deal arms between the borders.